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Handbook
Cairo
The existence of the city of Cairo is a result of the unification of the two lands of upper and lower Egypt in 4225 BC by the inhabitants of the Eastern Delta. Major highlights of the area include:
The Pyramids at Giza and The Sphinx...The Pyramids consist of three pyramids, (Khufu, Kafra and Menkaura). Khufu, or the great pyramid, is known by most as one of the seven wonders of the world. Built by Cheops, it once stood at 146 meters but due to natural wear and tear now only reaches 137 meters. Kafra was built by Chephren, the son of Cheops, tops at 136 meters and covers an area of 215 square meters. Menkaura is the smallest of the pyramids with a height of only 62 meters and covers an area only a quarter of that of The Great Pyramid. All three pyramids are guarded by one of the most famous and greatest monuments of ancient Egypt, the Sphinx.
Saqqara...once the necropolis of Memphis, Egypt's capital during the old kingdom, Saqqara contains several important monuments including: the pyramid of Zozer, the pyramid of Unas, the tombs of the nobles, and the monuments of Abu Sir and Dashur.
The Egyptian Museum...founded in 1900, the Egyptian museum contains one of the world's greatest collections of Egyptian antiquities including that of objects found in the tomb of Tutankhamum. The museum also contains a magnificent collection of sculpture and objects related to ancient Egyptian everyday life.
The Coptic Museum...built by Morcos Simaika Pasha to celebrate the spread and flourishing of Christianity in Egypt. The museum contains sculpture, manuscripts and scribal artifacts, textiles, icons ivories and metal works. It also houses a private library containing seven thousand volumes covering Coptic art, language and history.
The Islamic Museum...contains over 80,000 artistic masterpieces. Among the most remarkable is a fine copy of the holy Qu'ran written in Kufic script. There is also a good collection of Fatimid ceramics and brass incense burners, lamps and candlesticks from the Fatimid and Mamluke periods.
The Citadel of Salah al-Din...built between 1176 and 1182 AD, it provides the only panoramic view of Cairo for the Moqattam hills. The complex includes the alabaster mosque of Mohamed Ali.
Khan el-khalili...this famous souk / bazaar is largely unchanged since the 14th century. All the bounties of the east are here with good buys on spices, perfumes, gold and silver, carpets, brass and copperware, leatherwork, glass, ceramics and Mashrabiya.
Luxor
The city of Luxor lies about 670 kilometers south of Cairo along the banks of the Nile. It is considered to be one of Egypt's most beautiful and famous winter resorts. It's also home to some of Egypt's most treasured archeological sites.
The Temple of Karnak...built in the 20th century BC it is the biggest of the ancient Egyptian temples with over 134 pillars and the sacred lake. An impressive sound and light show is offered in the evenings.
The Luxor Temple...built as a private residence for the god Amun but later dominated by Ramses II.
Valley of the Kings...this site contains a large number of king's and pharaoh's tombs. The best known being the tomb of Tutankhamun.
Valley of
the Queens...this area contains tombs of approximately eighty ancient
Egyptian queens and tombs of their children. The most beautiful and
untouched tomb of Nefertari has recently been opened to visitors.
Aswan
Aswan is by far one of the most picturesque stretches of the Nile with a number of small islands and rock formations. A leisurely day aboard a felucca makes for a relaxing and traditional way of exploring this area. Historically, Aswan was the cradle of civilization on the Nile, containing the remains of the first city in the history of the Nile valley, the city of El Kab. The ancient Egyptians called Aswan "Sunu" meaning "market place".
Philae...the orginal island of Philae is situated to the south of the Aswan dam. The temple of Philea was rescued by UNESCO from flooding by the building of the high dam and moved north to the island of Agilka. The portico of Nectanebo is the oldest structure on the island and is dedicated to Isis.
The Temple of Edfu...this dates to the Ptolemaic period and is the largest and most complete of the different temples situated along the banks of the Nile.
The Temple of Kom Ombo... this double temple dates to the Ptolemaic period and its inscriptions contain references to the Ptolemies and to the roman emperors, Domitian, Trajan and Caracalla.
The Unfinished Obelisk...an enormous working model of ancient stone crafting techniques.
The Nubian Museum...a recently opened display of Nubian artifacts and anthropology.
Abu Simbel
Situated at Abu Simbel are two remarkably beautiful temples constructed by the famous pharaoh, Ramses II. These temples are the largest and most spectacular of the many monuments erected by Ramses II in Nubia. Also saved by UNESCO from the rising waters of Lake Nassar due to the construction of the Aswam high dam, the monument is not only an archeological wonder, but an incredible feat of engineering as well.
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